Collapsible cardboard counter basket



` J. v. HORR Feb. l?, 1948.

COLLAPSIBLE CARDBOARD COUNTER BASKET Filed Feb. 7, 194'? 2 sheets-sheet' 1 www E 'im 7 O A J COLLAPSIBLE CARDBOARD COUNTER BASKET Filed Feb. 7, 1947 2 shets-sheet 2 INVENTOR. l2 JOHN H0122 ATTORNEY tof. an improved counter basket STATES PATENT OFFICE COLLAPSIBLE` CARDBOARD COUNTER BASKET John V. Horr, North Tarrytown;

N. Y., assigner to Einson-Freeman Co.,Inc., Long Island City, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application February 7, 1947, Serial `l\rIo."7A2'7v,`147' My present invention relates generally tocollapsible cardboard devices, and has particular reference to a counter basket or the like.

-The present improved structure is designed like, to accommodate merchandise suchas packbe understood that the broader phases of my invention are applicable to baskets or containers intended for other purposes.

A more particular object of tion resides in the association, basket of the present invenwith a collapsible this general character, of elements destructure.

oor panels of the main basket.

My invention aims to provide a simple inexpensive cardboard structure, readily adjustable from a substantially flat collapsed condition `into a set-up condition in which there is dened Va main outer basket and a subordinate inner basket of smaller dimensions. Such a structure has many uses in the lield of merchandise display,

.. as will readily be understood by those skilled in the art.

-association of parts brings about an automatic set-up and collapse of the subordinate structure as the main basket is adjusted into correspondingly set-up and collapsed conditions. y

I achieve the foregoing general objects and advantages, and such other objects and advantages as may hereinafter appear or be pointed out, in the manner illustratively exemplied in the accompanying drawings, in which: f

Figure 1 is an elevational cross-sectional view of the present character, shown in setup condition, the sec store counters or the 1o claims. (01.-229-41) tion being taken substantially along the line I-I of Figure`2;

Figure 2 is `a plan .view of the structure, only the rear Adisplay panel being shown in section;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 343 of Figure l;

Figure 4 is a view similar vto Figure 3, onv an enlarged scale, showing the manner in which the structure may be collapsed; and y Figures 5; 6, 7 and 8 are plan views of the blanks of which the structure is composed.

Referring rst to Figures 5 and 6, the blanks therein illustrated are composed of flat sheet material such as cardboard. Theblankof Figure 6 has ve areas I O I 4 hinged end-to-end along fold lines l5, 'I'hese fold lines converge toward a common center sothat the ve areas maybe caused to define the'majorportion of a peripheral wall. Hingedly connected to the'area l2 along the line I6 is a panel I1 having the vshape of` a regular hexagon with one region cut away.

which is perpendicular to the edge I8. The edge 23 is slightly offset from the center of the hexagon so that a notch 24 is formed. The dot-anddash lines 25 represent fold `lines whose functioning will presently become apparent. y

The blank of Figure 5 is provided with a similar substantially hexagonal panel 23 dened by 28, 29, 30 and 3l, andby and 33 arranged at right angles'. `A notch 34 is formed at the center. The dot-and-dash lines 35 represent foldlines,

Hingedly connected Ialor'ig the line 23 is an area 36k corresponding -in shape and size to the reentrant edges 32 peripheral basket wall. `Attachment areas or aps 31 `and 38 the lines 39.

Extending outwardly from the areas 3l' and 38 varethe triangular display panels i6 and Ill, re-

or shorter edges of `the subordinate basket condition, shown most clearly in Figures l, 2 and peripheral edges in registry. The area, I4 is then adhesively or otherwise secured to the area 38. and a similar permanent engagement is established between the areas I and 31. This deiines a structure which is substantially like that shown in my aforementioned earlier patent, although the `various panels land areas of the earlier construction are not Tonite the same as those herein illustrated and described. In setup condition, the parts of the structure are substantially in the relationships shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3. The floor panels l1 and 26 approach a horizontal alignment, one above the other, defining a double-ply floor for the basket. Extending upwardly from the periphery of this door is the peripheral wall of the basket defined by the areas lil-I4 and the rear of the basket is a display area (40, 4l, 42) adapted to receive advertising matter of other embellishmen The collapse of the structure Vis 'effected by buckling the floor upwardly, as shown in Figure 4. This brings thev free end portions lof the floor panels into `an upward disl1 and 26 is all 36. Extending upwardly at l position in which they tend to approach a common vertical plane` vas the device its fullestI extent. The areas Il,

is collapsed to l2 andY i3 of the peripheral wall of the basket Ytend to align themselves in a single plane, and `ovverlie the areas lll, 36 and i4 respectively.

In the set-up condition of the basket, the fold lines and 35 of the floor `panels facilitate a wedging of the two-ply floor into `frictional engagement with the peripheral wall of the basket.

In Figures 'l Vand 8 I have illustrated the two blanks of Figure 7 consistsof seven sections 44-50 hingedly connected in side-by-side relationship along lines The lines 5l converge toward a common center so that the sections can be adjusted to form an enclosure dening the peripheral wall of a basket of smaller dimensions. More particularly, the sections 44 and 50 are brought into v'overlapping relationship and are adhesively or otherwise secured to each other, y At the lower opposed sections 46 and 49, attachment flaps 52 are provided, being hinged along the lines 53.

The blank of Figure 8 tially hexagonal piece 54 lformed with a diametric fold line 55 and parallel hinge lines 56. Beyond each of the lines 58 is an attachment ap 51.

The naps 51 are adhesively or otherwise secured to the sections 4B and 49, respectively, and the attachment naps 52 are adhesively or otherwise secured to the panels I1 and l2 6, respectively. This arrangement of .parts is shown most clearly in Figures 3 and 4.

It will be noted that the sections 46 and 49 'tend to approach each other whenthe structure 'is collapsed (Figure 4), andA tend to separate when the structure is 4set up (Figure 3). The section pairs 41-48, 44-45 and the two parts of the door piece 54 constitute toggles which are interposed between the sections 46 and 49. These toggles tend to collapse when the sections 46 and 49 approach each other.

The desirable result which is achieved by this arrangement of parts will be apparent from the description given. An adjustment of the main basket into a set-up condition, will simultaneously and automatically result in bringing the into a correspondingly set-up consists of a substanwhich the present secondary or sub rordinate structure is composed. The blank of tom wall comprising a pair Vgrasping the main display 3. A collapse of the main basket, as hereinbefore described (Figure 4), will bring about a simultaneous and automatic collapse of the subordinate basket.

Upon completion of manufacture of the device, it is adjusted into collapsed condition, and stored or shipped in this condition, either singly or in association with other similar vcollapsed structures. The ultimate user is not called upon to perform any diilicult manipulations. By merely panel, the structure tends to fall into the set-up condition, and a slight downward pressure upon the iioor panels that is required by the user to establish the completely set-up condition in which two counter baskets, one inside the other, are immediately available for use.

It will be understood that the shapes and proportions of the parts, and other details, may obviously be modiiied by those skilled in the art without necessarily departing from thespirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

Having thus described Vmy invention `and illustrated its use, what I claim vas new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

i. In a collapsiblecardboard counter basket, a peripheral wall comprising hingedly `connected areas including a pair of opposed areas, -a bottom wall comprising a pair of'interlocked panels hinged to said opposed Aareas respectively. and va secondary collapsible structure articulated to lsaid panels and controlled thereby.

2. In a collapsible cardboard counter basket, a peripheral wall comprising hingedly connected areas including a pair of opposed areas. a botof interloc'ked panels hinged to said opposed areas respectively, and a secondary collapsible structure articulated to said panels and controlled thereby, said secondary structure comprising a basket of smaller dimensions than the main basket. i

3. In a collapsible cardboard-counter basket, a peripheral Wall comprising hingedly connected areas including a pair of opposed areas,v a bottom wall comprising a pair of inter-locked panels hinged to said opposed areas respectively, -andssecondary collapsible structure articulated to said panels and controlled thereby, said secondary structure comprising hingedly Vconnected sections dening the peripheral wall of a basket of smaller dimensions than the main basket.v

4. In a collapsible cardboard counter basket, Va peripheral wall comprising hingedly connected areas including a pair of opposed areas, a bottom Wall comprising a pair of interlocked panels hinged to said opposed areas respectively, and a secondary collapsible structure articulated to said panels and controlled thereby, said secondary structure comprising hingedly connected sections deiining the peripheral wall of a subordinate basket, and a collapsible floor for said subordinate basket.

5. In a collapsible cardboard counter basket, a .peripheral wall comprising hingedly connected areas including a pair of opposed areas, a bot" tom wall comprising a pair of interlocked panels hinged to said-opposed areas respectively, and a secondary collapsible structure articulated to said panels and controlled thereby, said secondary structure comprising hingedly connected sec tions defining the peripheral wall of a subordinate basket, two of said sections being hingedly connected at their lower edges to ysaid panels respectively.

said panel portions approach said horizontal alignment.

7. In a collapsible cardboard counter basket, a

secondary collapsible structure articulated to said panels and controlled thereby, said secondtions hinged to said panels respectively, toggle elements between said sections.

8., In a collapsible cardboard counter basket, a.

tom wall comprising a pair of interlocked panels 30 hinged to said opposed areas respectively, and a secondary collapsible structure articulated to said panels and controlled thereby, said secondary structure including a pair of opposed sections hinged to said panels respectively, and toggle peripheral Wall of a subordinate basket, another of said toggle elements defining the oor of said basket.

9. In a collapsible cardboard counter basket, a set of outer hingedly connected areas dening the peripheral Wall of a main basket,

ing said subordinate .basket to said floor.

10. In a collapsible cardboard counter basket, a set of outer hingedly connected areas delining the peripheral Wall of a Inain basket, a set of articulating said subordinate basket to said panels so that the set-up and collapse of said subordinate basket is automatically eilected by setup and collapse of said main basket.

JOHN V. HORR.

basket, and means articulat- 

